4 Signs You Shouldn't Buy Those Groceries

Whenever we walk into a pastry shop and breathe in the scent of loaves fresh from the oven, we have trouble thinking clearly. But if the mission is "buy sandwich bread," it's worth remembering this: A loaf of already-sliced whole wheat is not the goal. "Every minute that fresh bread is exposed to air, it becomes more stale and less delicious," writes Dan Pashman in his book Eat More Better. So while a professional-grade machine may do a bang-up job turning out uniform slices, unless you're planning to eat them all within an hour, you're better off buying a loaf intact. It will increase the life span by reducing what Pashman calls "SATVOR" (surface-area-to-volume ratio). Once you're home, wrap the bread tightly in plastic, place it in a resealable plastic bag and store it in the freezer. When you want to eat it, remove the loaf, unwrap it and microwave it on a regular setting just long enough to defrost the outermost portions. Use a serrated bread knife and saw through (partially frozen bread = more even slices).